HBA-NMO, RBT H.B. 1654 76(R)BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1654 By: Maxey Natural Resources 7/29/1999 Enrolled BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Prior to 1996, state law authorized county attorneys to prosecute violations of state or county regulations regarding on-site sewage disposal systems. Local county health and human services departments enforced the rules by approving the design, inspecting the installation, responding to complaints involving the operation of these systems, as well as filing criminal complaints in justice of the peace courts. H.B. 1654 amends a provision of the Water Code to allow county attorneys to prosecute violations of state regulations regarding on-site sewage disposal systems. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter E, Chapter 7, Water Code, by amending Section 7.173, as follows: Sec. 7.173. New Title: VIOLATION RELATING TO SEWAGE DISPOSAL. Deletes language that conditions the Class C misdemeanor of violating a rule adopted by the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission under Chapter 366, Health and Safety Code (On-Site Sewage Disposal Systems), or an order or resolution adopted by an authorized agent under Subchapter C, Chapter 366, Health and Safety Code (Designation of Local Government Entity as Authorized Agent), on the fact that the person committed the offense in a county that is contiguous to an international border. SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 1999. SECTION 3. Makes application of this Act prospective. SECTION 4. Emergency clause.